“Mi papá siempre me hace sonreír”

Happy Father’s Day! We hope you and your loved ones are enjoying this celebration that honors fatherhood and paternal bonds.

We know that dads and their kids running together can help strengthen bonds—and it's a lot of fun, too. We reached out to Lily, a Rising New York Road Runners Youth Ambassador, and her papa, Mikio, to talk about what fatherhood means in their lives and how running together has bolstered their relationship. Sadly, Mikio’s husband and Lily’s dad passed away in 2016.

Lily: "I love running with Papa!"

What do you love most about your dads?

I love the fact that my papa always makes me smile and my dad was the worst cook. It made me laugh my butt off. My papa always helps me when I’m sick, and my dad used to be the funniest guy and most supportive daddy ever!

What do you do together as a family?

We sometimes play games, read, and watch the news. Every time we can, we sit down and watch the daily CBS news. It's pretty interesting to see what's happening in the world.

What will you do to celebrate Father’s Day?

I will give my family extra hugs and a little present! My papa is gonna get a card and maybe 10 bucks—I don't know yet.

Do you enjoy running with your papa?

I love running with Papa! Usually I have to keep up, but sometimes I pass my papa and that's always fun. We also ride bikes during summertime, and it’s really fun to zoom through Central Park. We sometimes sit down and have a mini picnic.

Mikio: "We feel good after a short run"

What changes have you seen in Lily from running and participating in the Rising New York Road Runners Youth Ambassadors program?

She became more positive and energetic. She's now always running around and is having a lot of fun running in general. In the pandemic, it was a great way to relax and loosen up.

What has running provided Lily and your family?

Bonding and sharing fun—we smile and laugh and always have a great time running. I always see her smile when we run. We feel good after a short run and we're sweaty. It helps clear the mind from negative ideas. I also enjoy cheering her on when she participates in the youth races at NYRR. [Lilly ran the Girls Run at the Mastercard New York Mini 10K on June 12.]

How important is it to run and do other activities as a family?

It is important because we can stay healthy, have more power, and stay positive. I've become happier and no doubt Lily has, too. It's important to make it a routine and to keep yourself healthy and fit.

June is LGBTQ Pride Month—how are you celebrating Pride?

Usually, we march together along the parade but this year we will participate online. Also, we will see friends and family celebrate Pride Month throughout June. We will try to watch some LGBTQ+ programs on streaming services. We are pleased to see more stores and public places supporting the community, especially transgender people.